Lights On, Nobody Home

Vaughan’s new council was elected on a mandate of change, but in its first real test since taking office, the majority of councillors followed in the footsteps of their predecessors.

Regional Councillor Deb Schulte pressed her colleagues at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting to request that York Region remove the controversial urban boundary expansion from the city’s new official plan, which the previous council approved during its dying days in office.
But only Maple/Kleinburg Councillor Marilyn Iafrate and Woodbridge West Councillor Tony Carella backed Ms Schulte’s proposal. The five other council members who voted — Regional Councillor Michael Di Biase declared a conflict — rejected the idea.

The boundary expansion, as it stands, would allow about 9,600 homes to be built across large swaths of rural land on either side of Hwy. 400 between Teston and Kirby roads.
As planned, these areas will be dotted primarily with single-family homes.

This is not what Vaughan needs. It is precisely this type of development that has created a city comprised of cookie-cutter homes, bland strip malls and congested roads.

The highly touted official plan was supposed to guide Vaughan’s metamorphosis into an attractive, sustainable city. That was to be achieved by focusing efforts on intensification within the current built-up boundary and developing an efficient, well-planned public transit system.
Although building highrises in existing neighbourhoods is often met with opposition, when done properly, it can create vibrant communities with a diverse mix of people.

This density is also needed to ensure a multi-million dollar public transit system, which includes the Spadina subway extension, will have enough riders to be viable.
Unfortunately, the previous council undermined these goals by including an urban boundary expansion aimed at providing more single-family detached homes.

The move was defended on the grounds it’s the smallest boundary expansion in the municipality’s history, plus it’s necessary to satisfy market demand for this type of housing and ensure provincially mandated growth targets are met by 2031.

Other councillors argued it makes sense to build homes there given the proximity to areas along Hwy. 400 designated for employment lands.
But various reports have suggested there’s plenty of room within the current boundary to accommodate the estimated 418,000 people expected to make Vaughan home over the next 21 years. And the plan already calls for a couple of thousand low-density homes within the current boundary.

Ms Schulte was attempting to correct a colossal mistake made by the previous crop of councillors. But the new council rejected change in favour of the status quo.
Councillors argued a balance needs to be struck between intensification and old-style development of detached homes on large lots.

Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua’s reasoning for not rescinding the boundary expansion was bewildering. He argued that in the interest of providing “stable governance”, it wasn’t appropriate to overturn decisions made by the former council.

But that’s precisely what this council was elected to do. At the end of last term, the previous council pushed through the plan that will guide the city’s growth. The current council is tasked with implementing the plan’s vision, so it is appropriate to correct the major mistakes it contains such as the boundary expansion.

Fortunately, the new council agreed to consider phasing in development on the lands to the north only when plans for developing areas within the existing boundary have been worked out.
That would go some way to addressing the problems created by allowing the urban boundary expansion.

This pledge should be met with cautious optimism, however. When the idea of phasing in development was proposed to the last council, it was shot down, despite the fact city planners supported the idea. No one likes to admit to failure and, certainly, a council’s mistakes are often looked upon unkindly by citizens.

However, failure is sometimes integral to finding success. We urge Mr. Bevilacqua and his council to remember that the next time an issue is before them that demands corrective action. http://www.yorkregion.com/opinion/editorial/article/928660--lights-on-nobody-home

David Pylyp There was an opportunity here to demonstrate some leadership that is lacking in the area of transit planning; being ECO friendly and fight against addition diesel powered trains plowing their way through the residential corridor, make a bold statement about integration of Community Centers and a better quality of life. If appears that Vaughan will continue to be a satellite bedroom community with a few business centers escaping the punishing taxes of Toronto.

Add your comments. Would you like to live here?

Vaughan Searches For Homes And Businesses With 'Curb Appeal'

Vaughan Searches For Homes And Businesses With 'Curb Appeal' Vaughan has launched its fifth annual Curb Appeal program as part of the City’s Communities in Bloom initiative. It is designed to recognize and thank homeowners and businesses who continue to beautify and maintain their properties. “This is a wonderful program that promotes environmental sustainability and civic pride while creating esthetically pleasing neighbourhoods,” said Regional Councillor Mario Ferri, Chair of the Communities in Bloom Beautification Committee. “I encourage all our homeowners and businesses to take up the challenge of establishing great gardens and curb appeal to beautify our City.” Curb Appeal volunteers from all sectors of the community will search the City for homes and businesses with curb appeal. Properties will be selected that showcase pride of ownership. A sign will be placed on the front lawn of selected properties and information about the Curb Appeal program will be left at the front door. The owners of the 750 properties selected as having curb appeal will be invited to a barbeque at the Boyd Conservation Area in September. “I look forward to seeing the results of residents with creative minds who are committed to our environment,” said Mayor Linda Jackson. “As a gardener myself, I am keenly aware of the work and dedication necessary to produce beautiful lawns and gardens. Our residents and businesses take great pride in their hard work.” To nominate a property or volunteer call 905-832-8577 or email parks@vaughan.ca http://www.city.vaughan.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=561&Itemid=879

Unstoppable Growth in Woodbridge

The City Above Toronto Sees A Boost To Real Estate Values

Unlike many regions looking at a decline in residential sales due to a lack of consumer confidence, hotspots such as Vaughan, Ontario, the “City above Toronto” are actually recording a ’seller’s market’ due to rapid expansion. Over the last 20 years, the region has risen from a primarily rural township to a busy hub of communities that are all seen as piece of the city of Vaughan. The population of Vaughan exploded 276 percent in the ten year timeframe from 1986 to 2006, and by 2031 there could be well in excess of 1.5 million residents in the region.

The census figures from 2006 show] that Vaughan is attracting a lot of young home owners, with 81 percent of the city below 55 years old with a median age of 35.9 years, that is significantly smaller than the 39 year-old average for Ontario. The appetite for single-family dwellings has swelled as a result, and although 65% of the homes still consist of detached dwellings, studies by the York Region Planning Department show there is a steady shift in condo apartments and multiple-row home construction in the past few years. Statistics also show that the average median income of Vaughan residents is 31 percent more than the Canadian average, and as a result the housing prices are generally a bit more than in neighboring Toronto.

The closeness to Toronto services is one rational Vaughan real estate has become so popular, chiefly because the way of life offers such a contrast to the dense urban occupancy of the metropolitan area. The region has strived to maintain a small town local feel by focusing on lots of green spaces inside well designed neighborhoods naturally sectioned into communities which have modern schools and civic hubs. As opposed to many ‘bedroom communities,’ Vaughan has plenty daycare and health care providers — including a new regional hospital — and upscale shopping centers, restaurants and well-maintained public recreational facilities.

As the population in Vaughan has climbed, the infrastructure has kept pace with the demand for access to Toronto for the daily traveler, and there is an impressive grid of four lane roads that connect the interstates and toll roads to city streets and main roads. The Greater Toronto Transit Authority, referred to as GOT, provides inter-regional commuter trains and buses for rush hour, and the Viva Bus line has streamlined Van Hool blue buses that service the York Region Transit service. The Greater Toronto Transit Authority, known as as GOT, provides rush hour passenger trains for stations in Vaughan and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has passenger routes that link to subways and RT stations in Toronto.

Another reason for the Vaughan real estate rise is the size of land still procurable for building. This is particularly alluring to those looking to build a custom house or who want to plan an estate from scratch. The wide open areas also mean there is potential to build new entertainment places like the Canada’s Wonderland theme park located in Maple, one of Vaughan’s districts, that pulls in a wide range of visitors to inject money into the local economy.Farmland makes up a significant portion of open land and there is a move afoot to try and protect it.Together with Maple, various other small regions encompass the city of Vaughan. They consist of Woodbridge, Markham, Concord, Kleinburg and parts of Thornhill. The distinct flavor of each community is a result of the blending of older family homes, high-end master-planned areas and multi-family homes that are combined with industrial sections and retail complexes.

Source

Vaughan's Spotlight on Volunteers

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, the Mayor and Members of Council recognized 73 outstanding individuals at a special ceremony in Council Chambers on April 21.

“Vaughan has a variety of organizations that contribute to our vibrant and healthy community,” said Mayor Linda Jackson. “Volunteers are the backbone of any great community and the City is proud to honour the outstanding achievements of these amazing people.”

Earlier this year, City of Vaughan not-for-profit and community organizations were invited to nominate their Most Outstanding Volunteer of 2009. More than 70 nominations were received for this year’s awards program. The event also featured musical entertainment by Jeff Taylor and the Senior Leadership Team band and light refreshments.

“All community volunteers deserve recognition and our gratitude for their selfless efforts,” said City Manager Clayton Harris. “This event has special meaning in that many of the award recipients were nominated by their peers and fellow volunteers.”

More than 150 friends and family of the recipients attended the special event where Mayor Jackson presented each recipient with a Volunteer Recognition Certificate and pin.

Attachment: Volunteer Awards List 2009.pdf (34.88 KB)

Send me an email at david@davidpylyp.com to add your community event or fund raiser.

May in Woodbridge Vaughan

On May 5th the Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 10,898 sales through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in April, representing a 34 per cent increase compared to April 2009. There were also 20,683 new listings in April – a 59 per cent annual increase. Both the sales and new listings results amounted to new records for the month of April under the current Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) boundaries.

“The GTA resale market is functioning properly. Sales were high as buyers continued to take advantage of affordable home ownership opportunities. Listings grew as home owners reacted to strong sales and price growth,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Tom Lebour. “More balanced market conditions will result in sustainable rates of annual price growth in the second half of 2010.”

The average price for April transactions was $437,600 – up 13 per cent compared to the average of $385,641 recorded in April 2009.

“Home sales continue to be driven by many different segments of the market, with sales growth for all major home types in both the City of Toronto and surrounding 905 regions,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “Home sales will remain strong in the second half of 2010, but will slip from the current record pace as borrowing costs rise.”

So lets Look at Your Neighbourhood Woodbridge. You are in N08. Whether or not Toronto is happening Woodbridge is its own sphere of influence. N08 had 1,888 homes available for sale in the last 30 day period ended April 30th. Of those 983 units sold, that is an absorption rate of 52% or basically a 5 week supply of houses.

Looking exclusively at detached homes; 458 were available to be purchased on the market with 177 homes that actually traded. The average value of those homes selling is $585 K. That is not (usually) First Time Buyer Territory. Inventory is taking a little longer to clear out which could indicate a softening of demand and an opportunity to pick through the available homes for a bargain or two.

If you are considering a purchase in this community, I would be pleased to assist you. Accordingly, if you would like an Opinion of Value or Market Evaluation Give me a call at 647 218 2414. Contact me david@davidpylyp.com

Vaughan Woodbridge Update update May 2010

We have all heard the catchy little jingles about The City above Toronto, The City of Vaughan!

But Vaughan is coming into its own unique character. The wiki for Woodbridge says;

Woodbridge is a large suburban community (Estimated 2006 pop. 101,170)^[1] in theCity of Vaughan, just north of Toronto in Southern Ontario. It was once an independent town before being amalgamated with nearby communities to form the city in 1971. Its traditional downtown core is the Woodbridge Ave. stretch between Islington Avenue andKipling Avenue north of Highway 7. Woodbridge has a large Italian immigrant population but has been experiencing a growth of other cultures since 2000 with increased housing development.

Statistics are down as a whole for the N08 region on the Toronto Real Estate Board Stratus system. We know that it was another record breaking month. Sales are still booming and the inventory levels are starting to rise a little bit. He has put some numbers together for you so you will have this information a few days before TREB releases it to the media.

In April there were 10,889 sales reported to TREB! That hits another record for April, so sales are chugging along quite nicely. As of yesterday there were 22,659 homes for sale. Inventory has jumped from 18,431 last month which is a 22% increase. This may seem like a huge jump, but it’s not uncommon between March and April. There are still plenty of sales to support the inventory level with the exception of certain areas and price ranges.

We are clearly experiencing one of the most interesting real estate markets ever. While other economies and marketplaces are suffering, Toronto just seems to be oblivious to it all. We should be thankful that we live in an area that has one of the strongest economies and real estate markets in the world.

Details of individual stats by housing type and average sale will be available with the release of the Market Watch Newsletter. Please revisit the site in a few days If you wish to receive the Market Watch Publication as part of my email newsletter distribution please send an email to david@davidpylyp.com with your contact information and I will be please to add you to the recipient list. You may opt out at any time.

If you are considering the sale of your property and wish an agent who is professional and persistent in getting things done, Creative, Honest and delivers a touch of panache, Give me a call at 647 218 2414 or 905 361 3387. I would be pleased to hear about your situation or connect here at my Dream Home Finder Page.